Small Chinese town holds over 70% of global fake eyelash market

Fake eyelashes made in a small town in East China's Shandong Province account for over 70 percent of the global market, a microcosm of China's manufacturing prowess, as insiders credit this to China's complete industrial chain and advanced beauty product manufacturing skills.

Over 80 percent of Chinese-made fake eyelashes come from Pingdu, Shandong, where the industry has flourished for over 40 years, according to CCTV.com. Annually, this city produces more than 120 million fake eyelashes.

Pingdu manufactures thousands of types of fake eyelashes, meeting the beauty references and demands of consumers worldwide, Pingdu-based insiders in the cosmetics sector said.

Exporters from Pingdu told the Global Times that most factories there leverage e-commerce platforms to sell their products and seize opportunities, thanks to efficient cross-border logistics and the advanced development of these China-based platforms.

"The advantage of fake eyelash products from Pingdu benefit from decades of production and research experience. Our primary markets, North America, Europe and the Middle East, have a high demand for these products," Wang Xiaoqing, a Pingdu-based exporter, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Wang said that fake eyelashes produced in Pingdu are in high demand worldwide as beauty products gain popularity all over the world. "Our products with competitive pricing and quality are readily accepted by international customers," Wang added.

"Our company specializes in foreign trade, and this year's profits have been over my expectations, and the volume also surpassed last year's. Our competitive edge lies in our fast shipping, high production capacity and competitive pricing," another exporter from Pingdu Feierlin Eyelash Factory told the Global Times on Thursday.

By the end of 2023, Pingdu's beauty eyelash sector has grown to over 5,000 market entities, according to Shandong-based media. Experts noted that the increased production capacity has significantly enabled domestic eyelash products to lead global fashion trends.

China's manufacturing leading status is partly due to sensitivity to opportunities of small and medium-sized enterprises, experts said.

The success of a single industrial chain can stimulate the coordinated development of multiple related industries, driving economic growth, Liang Zhenpeng, a senior industry analyst, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Pingdu is not only advanced in producing fake eyelashes but also has a complete industrial chain for related products, a Pingdu-based manufacturer surnamed Lin in the cosmetics sectors told the Global Times on Thursday.

"I manufacture storage boxes for fake eyelashes, as well as trays and display cases. These products are designed to accompany fake eyelashes, leading to substantial export volumes," Lin said.